1. Field of Inventive Subject Matter
The present inventive subject matter relates to novel tie down devices for securing a vehicle to a surface. In one preferred aspect of the inventive subject matter, the vehicle is secured during transport. The inventive apparatus may be used to secure a variety of vehicles having at least one generally rigid, elongated member, such as handlebars or a tubular frame member, to which the device is attached. For example, such vehicles include, but are not limited to, motorcycles, bicycles, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, jet-skis, power boats, sailboats, ultralight aircraft, and the like.
2. Background
Cargo such as a wheeled vehicles is frequently difficult to adequately secure for transport, for example in or on a truck or trailer bed surface. Many devices are known for restraining a vehicle to a truck or trailer bed during transport. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,072,257, 4,078,821, 4,243,243, 4,441,736, 4,580,935, 4,611,961, 4,752,177, 4,842,458, 4,852,779, 5,230,449, 5,326,202, 5,529,448, 6,065,914, and 6,171,034 are representative of many patents which teach utility trailers, stabilizing hitches, racks, hand grip mounts, strapping systems, suspension wear reducers, and the like for securing a vehicle during towing or carrying.
In general, prior art restraint devices for such vehicles extend from a trailer or truck bed surface to one more handlebar attachment points. For example, these include an adjustable rod or strap, for example made of nylon, for each side of a handlebar. Each strap connects at one end to the trailer or truck bed surface and at the other end to a respective handlebar. Adjustment mechanisms permit the strap to be shortened or lengthened to accommodate vehicles of different sizes. Exemplary devices of this type are found in the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,821, issued on Mar. 14, 1978 to Kitterman, discloses a utility trailer having a tie-down mounting system for securing vehicles having a pair of telescoping rods that are threaded together so that their combined length may be varied, with self-aligning bearings for insertion over pins that are connected to the vehicle to be restrained and to the frame, and which includes hose clamps for securing the pin to a frame member of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,935, issued on Apr. 8, 1986 to Treihaft, discloses a tie down system for a three wheeled motorcycle, which uses a pair of securing plates in conjunction with tie down straps to be located about the axle which supports the rear wheels of the motorcycle, and a spaced apart locking plate which utilizes a movable clamping bar to be tightly connected over a bracing bar mounted on the frame of the motorcycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,202, issued on Jul. 5, 1994 to Stubbs, discloses a strapping system having two interconnected straps with cuffs engaging the grips of the handle bars, for maintaining a motorcycle in an upright position during transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,914, issued on May 23, 2000 to Fotou, discloses a tie-down apparatus for securing a vehicle includes an elongated body, at least two attachment devices in communication with the body at opposite ends thereof, a tensioning device in communication with the body and configured to constantly apply a tightening force between at least two attachment devices, and an adjustment device in communication with the body for selectively applying a tightening force between two attachment devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,034, issued on Jan. 9, 2001 to Burgoon, et al., discloses a combination tie-down and locking device for a motorcycle having a plurality of forks, and a method of tying down and locking a motorcycle to a trailer, the device having a cut-resistant shackle for clamping around the fork of the motorcycle, a flexible, cut-resistant tie-down strap having one end securely fixed to the shackle, a quick-connect chain link for tensioning the strap and releasably connecting the free end of the strap to a trailer, and a lock for releasably locking the free end of the strap to a trailer.
Thus, present tie-down systems leave much to be desired. A common method uses one or more rope(s) or strap(s) to tie the vehicle down by attaching to a handlebar or other a frame member. This often leads to damage to the handlebar or frame member from chaffing, scratching, or bending. Additionally, other prior art restraint devices, such as tie-down rod(s), can scratch or indent the vehicle when the restraint is fastened thereto, and are complicated to use because of the need to tighten the restraint device to attach it to the vehicle. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a restraint device which does not damage the vehicle in any way when attached to the vehicle, and can be quickly and easily placed on, and removed from, the vehicle.
Accordingly, the inventive subject matter addresses this need by providing an improved tie-down device, which is clamped to an elongated, substantially rigid member of the vehicle, and to which an existing tie down system may then be attached. The inventive apparatus provides a tie-down device for securing a vehicle to a truck or trailer bed, or other surface, without damaging the secured vehicle.